


Hurt

by blankvellum



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Heartbreak, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Romance, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-01-26 14:22:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21375550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blankvellum/pseuds/blankvellum
Summary: Albus was used to being overshadowed by James in every way, but he hadn't expected it when it came to his best friend.(Companion piece to the one-shots 'Hate' and 'Love')
Relationships: One sided Albus Severus Potter/Scorpius Malfoy, Scorpius Malfoy & Albus Severus Potter, Scorpius Malfoy/James Sirius Potter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 59
Collections: Hate/Love/Hurt





	Hurt

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a companion fic to my two fics 'Hate' and 'Love'. I just felt like writing Albus' perspective. I have yet to write from his point of view so I thought I'd give it a try! Hope people enjoy and it doesn't seem so redundant.

Albus had always felt out of place when it came to his family. Not that he didn't love them. He just felt... different and he couldn't really place why. Maybe it was a middle child thing. Maybe it was because he couldn't ride a broom to save his life. It also didn't help that he looked exactly like his father, the Boy-Who-Lived. What an impossible title to live up to. He was the son of the Boy-Who-Lived so there had to be something special about him, right? 

He hadn't felt very special, other than having the weirdest names of everyone in his whole family. Sure, he should be proud to have these names. After all he was named after two very brave wizards according to his father, he didn't personally know. All it served to do though was make him feel pressured to be something. More to live up to, great. 

He was nervous about Hogwarts. What if he was sorted into the wrong House? What if he was sorted into Slytherin? No one in his entire family was Slytherin. On the train he had met Scorpius Malfoy, there was an instant connection. He felt like they both were kindred spirits, both felt like outsiders in their own lives. When Albus got sorted into Slytherin he felt good about it, since his new friend was there as well.

For once in his life, Albus felt like he belonged. When he was with Scorpius he didn't feel alone. It was just him and Scorpius, he wouldn't have it any other way. Of course, James, had to interfere in any way he could. He would relentlessly pick on Scorpius. No matter what Albus had said it didn't seem to matter. Scorpius somehow seemed to always shrug it off, Albus envied his ability to do that. James always got under his skin. 

It was in 4th year when Albus started to realize he was falling for his best friend. Everything about Scorpius was perfect. His smile, his laugh, his beautiful grey eyes, his hair, the way his face scrunched up when he was concentrating very hard on school work. Merlin, he had it bad. He would never tell Scorpius though. He couldn't risk ruining their friendship. Scorpius was his favorite person in the entire world, he wouldn't risk their relationship for anything. Scorpius had told him he was gay the previous year, though that didn't mean he would be interested in him. So, Albus kept it to himself. Or tried to, Rose figured it out. He had to swear her to secrecy. She'd encourage him to tell him. 

5th year was when Scorpius actually stood up to James, Albus was proud of him. Scorpius standing up for himself seemed to work. James seemed to leave him alone after that. Though now Scorpius would disappear for an inordinate amount of time, always having some lame excuse as to why. Albus would sometimes see hickeys on his neck. Albus wished Scorpius would just tell him he was seeing someone. They were best friends after all, they didn't keep secrets from each other. 

One day, Albus grew tired of the secrecy and decided to secretly follow Scorpius. Imagine his surprise when he saw that it was James Scorpius was meeting. The fact that it was James, hurt above all else. The one thing Albus had, James just had to take from him. How could his own brother do this to him?

How was he supposed to compete with his own brother? His brother, the popular quidditch player and notorious prankster. He was endlessly charming and everyone loved him. Albus didn't understand why Scorpius would be drawn to him though because James had only ever been awful to him. Albus should have acted sooner, that he regretted more than anything.

Albus confronted James on the train about it at the end of the year, managing to keep who he was talking about vague. It turned physical pretty quickly. Scorpius had ended up stopping it by tracking down more prefects.

Scorpius had a bad summer that year. His Grandfather somehow found out he was gay and was constantly expressing his distaste. Albus kept on writing to Scorpius encouraging him to stay over at his house for the summer. One day Scorpius wrote to him saying that James had pranked his Grandfather and sent him some joke products. James must have been snooping around in his room again. Why hadn't he thought of that?

Sixth year Scorpius seemed more taken with James than ever. Albus would often catch him looking over at the Gryffindor table at meal times. Jealousy grew in Albus as well as hurt. He wouldn't have minded as much if it were anyone other than his own brother, but of course it had to be him. 

"I mean I know he's likely not going to ask me to Hogsmeade this weekend, but do you think he'd possibly spend that weekend with me?" Scorpius asked low enough for no one to hear them, looking hopeful.

Albus just frowned, "You don't know? Scorp, James is going to Hogsmeade with Jennifer White." 

"Oh. Right." Scorpius said, trying to sound not disappointed. He was quiet the rest of lunch, merely picking at his food.

Albus and Scorpius went to Hogsmeade together as friends like they usually did. Everything was going well until Scorpius had returned to the table at The Three Broomsticks upset. He had seen James and Jennifer snogging. Albus honestly was livid that James was having this kind of effect on his best friend. 

After the trip, the first chance he got he managed to pull James aside, privately.

"You need to leave Scorpius alone! You hear me? You're making him miserable!" Albus yelled at him.

"I'm not doing anything to him, Al. If Scorpius doesn't want to do this anymore, he doesn't have to." James reasoned, calmly.

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" Albus said exasperatedly. James was using Scorpius, playing with his feelings. How could Scorpius not see that?

Scorpius was absolutely miserable because James had not sought him out after. Maybe James had actually listened to Albus or maybe he was too preoccupied with Jennifer to care. Whatever the reason, he hoped that it lasted.

Of course though it had only lasted a week then whatever they were doing was back on again. This had to end some time didn't it? If not in the near future then when they went back for their 7th year. Scorpius would eventually want something more than what he has with James and stop it, right?

7th year was finally upon them and Albus could hardly wait to have an entire year without his brother's presence. He finally had Scorpius all to himself, just like old times. He, Scorpius, and Rose would often hang out together. Rose didn't used to hang out with them as much as she was doing now. Rose started pestering him about confessing his feelings for Scorpius. Albus would make excuses, still she would persist.

"Just tell him, Al! You two belong together! It's obvious!" Rose exclaimed .

Albus shushed her, "Not so bloody loud, Rose. For the millionth time, I can't!"

"Can't or won't?" Rose asked.

"It's no use. He doesn't feel the same way." Albus sighed.

"You don't know that!"

Albus decided he had to tell her the truth. So he told her about Scorpius and James, swearing her to secrecy.

"You can win him over somehow! They're not officially together right?" Rose persisted.

"There's no competing with James! He'll win, every time. Scorpius is really into him. I've been trying to get us to go on a double date to Hogsmeade, but he refuses. He's hopeless!" Albus lamented. It was hard for him to keep a girlfriend around because every Hogsmeade trip he ended up going with Scorpius instead. He never wanted his best friend to be alone.  


7th year ended and it was time to be thrust into the real world. Albus' hopes that James would be done with Scorpius were dashed when Scorpius told him he had went to James' flat and was not turned away. Scorpius was elated. 

"I think things are changing, Al. For the better, there was just such a change last night from usual. I think he missed me too." Scorpius had said, then went on detailing all that went on. Details Albus really could have went without, but he hadn't wanted to burst Scorpius' bubble. 

Mid-summer Albus and Scorpius got their own flat together as they had always planned. They both landed jobs at the Ministry. He was on track to be a Cursebreaker, Scorpius had gotten into the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Everything was looking up for them.

Scorpius was over at James' once or twice a week since they reconnected. One day Scorpius came home distraught because James walked out on him. All because Scorpius had told him he loved him. Unbelievable. Sometimes Albus came really close to actually hating James, this was one of those times.

The next day, James had come to their flat all apologetic. To top it off, he had gotten Scorpius a kneazle. Scorpius was a sucker for any magical creature so he, of course, gladly accepted. Albus would have slammed the door in his face. Even without the Kneazle, Scorpius would never do that.

Albus had never actually witnessed them interact since James stopped taunting him. So he decided to stay awhile and observe while Scorpius got accquainted with his new pet. Scorpius and James bantered back and forth about Scorpius' name choice. Albus noticed that James had to have some part of himself touching Scorpius at all times whether it was a hand on Scorpius' leg or sitting too close for Albus' liking. Seeing it for himself just hurt.

Eventually, Albus had to leave because he couldn't take Scorpius making heart eyes at James anymore. James didn't deserve Scorpius, didn't deserve his love. He never would. Albus apparated to Rose's flat to vent. When he came back it was night time and James was still bloody there. They were cuddled up on the couch, Scorpius' kneazle on his lap. Albus wanted to wring James' neck seeing his arm wrapped around Scorpius. He went to his room and stayed there the rest of the night feeling like he had been stabbed in the chest.

Since then Scorpius spent half the week over at James'. Sometimes even staying the night. It bothered Albus to no end. Despite this James didn't want to call what they had going on a 'relationship', heck, he refused to be seen out in public with Scorpius. Albus knew that bothered Scorpius more than he let on.

Albus had decided to start bringing Scorpius out on excursions with his cousin, Louis and Louis' boyfriend. He thought it would do Scorpius some good to see what an actually functional, real same sex relationship looked like. Eventually Scorpius got fed up with Albus' remarks and they had a full out row. Scorpius refused to talk to him for a week. It was awkward seeing as they lived together. 

The silence ended when Scorpius came back one day, upset. He didn't say anything for a good while then finally spoke. "Why can't I be enough for him?" 

Albus was relieved that Scorpius was speaking to him again. "Did he have some bird over again when you arrived?"

Scorpius shook his head, "No, thank Merlin, but I did see bloody women's lingerie on the floor. Can't say that it's the first time. Though I still don't understand why someone would just bloody leave without their underwear!"

"You don't know if it's some bird's. You never know, it might be James'." Albus pointed out.

Scorpius snorted, "Yeah, I doubt that."

One would think James would pick up his bloody floor. Albus had a theory though that James just left them there on purpose, to keep Scorpius from getting too comfortable. Though it was a bit too late for that honestly.

The anguish James caused Scorpius didn't stop. Scorpius would come home more often questioning why James couldn't just love him. 'What's wrong with me?' he would ask. 'Just once I just want to hear him say he loves me. Is that too much to ask?' It really wasn't.

It had been 5 years since this whole 'nonsense' between James and Scorpius started. Albus really couldn't take it anymore. The whole thing made him sick. Once again, he pleaded with Scorpius to leave him.

"I can't. I won't do that." Scorpius had said, "I love him! I just can't walk away!"

"Yes, yes you can!" Albus had shot back.

"You'll never understand." Scorpius said.

It was no use talking to Scorpius about it. It was like talking in circles. So, Albus had to go straight to the source. He went to James and pleaded with him to set Scorpius free. James had agreed after realizing Albus was in love with Scorpius.

Albus felt slightly guilty later that day when Scorpius had returned completely devastated. Was he a bad person? No, this was for his own good. Albus resolved to fix everything. He would help Scorpius heal, once and for all. So Albus dutifully took care of Scorpius through this hard time, he was happy to do so.

Eventually Scorpius got out of his slump and Albus managed to convince him to go out on dates. Albus set these dates up himself, vetting the candidates with Rose. He didn't want to chance Scorpius going out with anyone less than he deserved.

That went on for a few months until Scorpius admitted that it wasn't working. He had said he might as well just stay single the rest of his life. 

Albus knew now was the time. He had to tell Scorpius how he felt, so he did. Scorpius looked at him for a long time not saying anything. Albus was freaking out inside, he spoke, "I didn't mean to make things weird or anything. I can just-"

He hadn't gotten to finish that thought because Scorpius had grabbed him and... kissed him? Scorpius was kissing him, it took a moment for Albus to compute that. He then began to kiss him back, it was all he had ever wanted. Albus never thought in any circumstance this would be plausible for him, yet somehow the universe threw him a bone. He felt like the luckiest bloke.

After awhile Albus broke apart from Scorpius, "So, just to be clear... you do want to be with me?"

Scorpius smiled at him in a way he had never done before, it was so warm it made Albus' heart melt. "Yes I do."

Albus didn't want to think about how Scorpius likely was still in love with James. It hurt too much. Albus hoped that would change. That maybe in time he could love Albus like he loved James.

Albus and Scorpius were officially together. It was Al's number one priority to make sure Scorpius always knew where Albus stood and how he felt about him. They would go out on proper dates, Albus absolutely had no qualms about anyone knowing they were together. He wanted everyone to know actually. It wasn't long until his entire family knew. His Mum was especially happy, she loved Scorpius as her own. James kept his distance when the pair were together, which Albus was grateful for.

Then James got engaged, which shocked nearly everyone. James had never really been one for commitment. Albus broke the news to Scorpius himself. Scorpius didn't have much to say to that in response. They both went to the engagement party together, Scorpius had gone despite not feeling well.

Scorpius had insisted upon staying home on James' wedding day even though he had gone to the rehearsal dinner. Albus didn't push it, he imagined it would be hard on him. So, he had gone alone and returned home later to find Scorpius passed out on the couch, bottles of firewhiskey littering the floor.

Time passed and on their vacation in the Carribean, Albus decided to propose. Because what could be more perfect right? Everything was going great between them and Albus saw no better opportunity. He had been afraid Scorpius would say no, but he had accepted. Albus had been ecstatic, everything seemed to be going perfectly.

Then one day Scorpius dropped a bombshell on him. "I can't marry you."

Albus felt instantly uneasy, "Why not?"

"You deserve more than what I can give you." Scorpius said.

"What do you mean? I don't need anything." Albus said.

Scorpius looked like he was about to burst into tears. "I cheated on you." He paused then continued, "With James."

Albus didn't need that clarification. Of course it was with James, who else could screw him over that spectacularly than his own brother? This felt surreal. He felt his mouth move on its own accord. "When?" 

"At the engagement party, then at the rehearsal dinner." Scorpius admitted, "I'm so sorry! I tried so hard, Al, I really did!"

Albus wasn't really sure what he meant by that. He tried hard not to cheat on him or he tried to be happy with Albus? It was likely both. He never felt more devastated in his life, though he couldn't help, but feel like this was all his fault. Everything. He did this to himself. He knew Scorpius was still in love with James going into this relationship. 

Albus listened to Scorpius apologize profusely to him, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry with Scorpius. He knew James was the one who initiated the cheating, Scorpius would never. 

Scorpius informed him he would be moving out, to give them both space. Albus grew angry with James. Who did he think he was, to do that to him? His own brother. He resolved to confront him some time, maybe get a good punch in. Anger was easier to cope with than hurt after all and Albus hurt all over.


End file.
